Ancestors of L. D. Cooper, Chaplain

Samuel C. Carter, born 31 January 1837 in Roane County, Tennessee was the last of sixteen children of John B. Carter and his first wife, Jane McCarroll. John B. Carter served in the Tennessee Legislature, and eventually had twenty six known children with three wives before his death on 5 January 1864 in Morgan County, Alabama.

Samuel married 30 April 1858 in Roane County to Elizabeth Coker. In 1862, he enlisted along with his brother in law Thomas Coker in Company D, 5th Tennessee Infantry. A unit history, "Volunteers for Union and Liberty: History of the 5th Tennessee Infantry, U.S.A., 1862-1865" by Robert K. Cannon was published in 1995. The regiment suffered severe casualties during the Battle of Resaca, Georgia and was engaged in the Battle of Franklin in Williamson County Tennessee, which occurred around the home of Fountain Branch Carter (no relation to John B. Carter).

The first three of Samuel and Elizabeth Carter's children were born in Roane County, Tennessee. The young family left Roane County immediately after the war. With a stop in Illinois for the birth of a fourth child, Jane, the Carter family continued on to Polk County, Missouri where two more children, Thomas in April 1870 and Mary in 1875, were born.

They are found on the 1870 census in Polk County, Missouri, Marion Township and by 1880, were living in Butler County, Kansas. Samuel is last enumerated on the 1900 census of Wood County, Oklahoma Territory, in the household of his son in law John Rather who married Millie Carter.

Samuel was living in Driftwood, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma Territory, when he went to be with our Lord on 2 February, 1902. He and Elizabeth were buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery (graves later moved to Riverside Cemetery) in Driftwood, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma.

Samuel C. Carter